Flexible Conveyor Handles Tight Turns and Inclines

The SmartFlex conveyor from Dorner Mfg. Corp., Hartland, Wis., brings added design and layout flexibility, allowing engineers and designers to work with conveyors that can curve products around tight spaces and up and down inclines ranging from 5 to 30 deg. It can move products up to 98 ft., handle loads up to 600 lb., and operate at speeds of up to 250 ft. per minute.

One of the conveyor’s strengths is product transfers. Optional infeed and exit powered transfers allow for safe and smooth transfer of parts as small as 3 in. in diameter on and off the conveyor. To prevent catenary sag, the weighted take-up module helps prevent the plastic chain belt from sagging underneath the conveyor during operation. By removing sag, the belt interfaces more easily with the frame and makes belt tracking smoother, all the while reducing the risk of jamming, pinch points, and other faults. The sag module can be positioned in various locations along the single-piece, aluminum-frame conveyor.

Several different chain belts can be used with SmartFlex conveyors, including low friction, friction insert, conductive, cleated, roller top and magnet top. The wheel bend curve not only lets the conveyor negotiate tight corners, but also reduces the load on the conveyor so a single conveyor can have four or more curves. The conveyor system can also include helical curves, alpines, spirals, and wedge elevators.

The SmartFlex conveyor is ideal for many industries, including food, processing, primary and secondary packaging, industrial automation, medical, life sciences, and health and beauty.